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Business Archive
Date Archived: February 18th 2006
Financial Considerations when Refinancing and Consolidating Home Loans and Credit Card Debt
There are some things you should consider before making a decision about refinancing your house. Interest rates may be on the rise so now may be a good time to think about your financial situation and plan a course of action. If interest rates do go up, they will likely go up on credit cards as well. Since the new bankruptcy laws have taken effect, it is harder to avoid defaulting on unsecured debt like credit card loans. It becomes more appealing for some to place the credit card debt into a refinanced home loan package. In 1981 the Prime Interest Rate was over 18%. Right now the prime interest rate is a little less than 8%, but that is almost double what it was in 2004. Interest rates go up and down. If you have an adjustable rate home loan and interest rates go up you could be paying more each month. Credit card rate are always well above the Prime interest rate. Financial Considerations when Refinancing and Consolidating Home Loans and Credit Card Debt Google Does not Turn Over Data But Yahoo Microsoft and AOL Did - to the Justice Department
The U.S. Justice Departments filed papers with the U.S. District Court in San Jose stating that Google had refused to comply with a subpoena issued last year for one million random Web addresses. The information was to include addresses from Google’s database as well as records of all searches entered on Google during any one-week period. Privacy rights groups have complained about the governments attempt to have Google turn over such a broad range of materials. Some fear it could set a dangerous precedent. Other search engines have already complied with the Justice Department, including Yahoo, America Online (AOL) and Microsoft. The Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says the subpoena does not violate privacy rights. Google Does not Turn Over Data But Yahoo Microsoft and AOL Did - to the Justice Department 3 Essential Boundaries for Mom Entrepreneurs and Their Husbands
In the beginning, I thought it was going to be a breeze when my husband, Terry, joined me working full-time in my business. If anyone could do it, we could! We already had a healthy relationship built on trust and respect. We communicated well. We both strongly believed in what we were doing. We understood the need to help each other with the children, keeping the house, and with the business. We planned to allow for fluctuations in income to keep stresses over money to a minimum. Yet I still wasn’t prepared. For anyone considering working with your spouse, here are 3 Essential Boundaries for Entrepreneurial Couples to help to ease your transition: 3 Essential Boundaries for Mom Entrepreneurs and Their Husbands The Top 10 Reasons to Become a Medical Transcriptionist
You've seen the commercials: medical transcriptionists are in high demand. Should you consider this field? Below are the top ten best reasons to become a medical transcriptionist. If these characteristics are something you're looking for in a job, then medical transcription may be for you. To get started, try “Working at Home the American Way in Medical Transcription” by Debra Jan Hebert, an experienced medical transcriptionist. 10. Quick entry Many lucrative professions require extensive training and advanced degrees. Other jobs in the medical field can take eight or more years of grueling, expensive schooling to begin. The Top 10 Reasons to Become a Medical Transcriptionist What to Consider when Refinancing a Home - Fixed Home Loans via Brokers
There are many things to consider when refinancing your home. One of the important considerations is who or what company to use when refinancing. Also speak to your financial consultant before making any decisions. The refinancing option may not be worth it. There is a cost associated with refinancing a home. There are various parties that may take a fee, including a loan broker. Loan / mortgage brokers can be helpful in shopping for a loan. You only need to supply your information once and they do the rest. You save yourself the loss in credit-score by having multiple inquiries on your credit. Some mortgages have a prepayment penalty. If your current loan has one of these clauses it will add to the cost of refinancing. These prepayment penalty clauses should be avoided in your new loan as well. What to Consider when Refinancing a Home - Fixed Home Loans via Brokers Microsoft's adCenter Contextual Search Advertising Program to Compete with Google Adsense - Adwords
Microsoft has been working for over a year on an advertising program to compete with Google and Yahoo. On Friday, Microsoft demonstrated 15 of 40 prototypes during its adCenter Demo Fest at their headquarters in Redmond Washington. The company announced that they are opening a laboratory in Beijing to develop new technologies. About 22 researchers in Beijing will work with at least 20 in Redmond in what they call the adCenter Incubation Lab (adLab). Eventually there could be as many as 50 scientists assigned to the project in Beijing. Microsoft's adCenter Contextual Search Advertising Program to Compete with Google Adsense - Adwords BlackBerry to Add Google Talk - Local and Apple Mac Synchronization
The BlackBerry has become very popular recently, and the maker of the device now plans to add new features by partnering with Google and an Apple accessory maker. Research In Motion (RIM), the maker of Blackberry, plans on offering Google Talk instant messaging, Google Local and the ability to link its device to Apple computers for free. Blackberry owners will be able to add a new version of the Google Talk instant messaging program, and also download a free program to synchronize their device with their Apple computers. The Google Talk will be released in spring. Users will probably love the new Google Local feature that can be downloaded right now. This offers users the ability to search for local businesses. It will also give them access to maps and satellite images. BlackBerry to Add Google Talk - Local and Apple Mac Synchronization Conflict Resolution: 5 Ways to Resolve Conflict Quickly
Experiencing conflict at work or home? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Most people experience conflict on a daily basis. People who experience conflict are either 1) discouraged by conflict or 2) strengthened through conflict. Regardless, of whether or not you have been discouraged by conflict you can learn to let conflict make you stronger by following the five followings steps to conflict resolution: 1) Don’t Open Your Mouth---Yet! The first step to conflict resolution is to never ‘fly off the handle,’ overreact, yell, etc. These obnoxious and threatening gestures will take you and your ‘opponent’ further and further away from the interest of the conflict, so remain calm and remember that conflict can be a good thing. Also, you’ve heard it a thousand times, but learn to stop and think before you speak. Conflict Resolution: 5 Ways to Resolve Conflict Quickly Drinking Alcohol while on the Job – Survey Results
A report by the University at Buffalo's Research Institute on Addictions (RIA) was published in the current issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol say that 15 percent of the US employees have been either intoxicated with alcohol or affected by alcohol while on the job. That is roughly 19.2 million workers. The study was funded by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. The researchers conducted telephone surveys of 2,805 employed adults in the 48 contiguous states including Washington D.C. The demographics were adjusted to survey a wide selection of professions of adults ranging in age from 18 years old all the way up to 65 years old. Drinking Alcohol while on the Job – Survey Results Home Loan Options and Considerations as Interest Rates Rise
There are many options for financing a home. Many homeowners that originally financed their home are wondering if they should refinance their home before rates go up. Since their rates are tied to a fluctuated interest rate, it may be a good option. You may want to talk to a financial advisor before doing so. According to the forcasts.org website, the prime interest rate is expected to go up this year. In 2004 the prime interest rate has made a steady climb from a little over 4% to over 7% today. They expect the rate to climb to 7.49% by June. One thing you need to check before you decide to refinance is your current contract. Is there a pre-payment penalty if you decide to pay off the loan early in order to take out a new fixed rate mortgage? Home Loan Options and Considerations as Interest Rates Rise Real Estate Classes first before you Start Investing with No Money Down
Stock investments for 2005 were less than eventful overall. The Dow stock index was down .61 percent and the S&P did not do much better. The S&P 500 was up just 3%. Not all investments showed such meager returns. Morningstar found that Real Estate funds were up over 11%. But how does a person get into the real estate business? There are some methods of buying real estate with little or no money down. You will need to be serious and maybe even get your hands dirty though. The first thing you need to do is start investigating two avenues in this business. You will need to look for both investors and sellers. A great way to get to know investors is to get involved in the industry. Take some classes and become either a licensed real estate agent or an appraiser. Real Estate Classes first before you Start Investing with No Money Down Credit Card Minimum Monthly Payments Double Due to New Rules
This may not be the best time to require credit card companies to double their minimum payments. There are numerous stories of cash strapped families now hamstrung with debt barely able to make their minimum payments. Starting this month the minimum payments required by credit card companies will double. Most credit card companies would require minimum payments of just 2% of the principle. Now over their own objections, they are required to raise that minimum payment to 4%. That is right; the credit card companies did not want this new regulation. They would make more money if the minimums were set at 2%, not 4%. Some credit card companies have already raised their minimums but this month the rest will be required to follow suit. Credit Card Minimum Monthly Payments Double Due to New Rules How to Buy Online with Credit Cards or Paypal on Ebay or other Online Sellers
Ebay is a great resource for buying tools, toys, kitchenware and very hard to find items. On a recent cooking talk show a caller asked the host where she could buy a hard to find appliance. The host said eBay of course. She told the caller that the regular brick and mortar stores did not stock it, but eBay would have a dozen of them for sale. Many people have concerns about buying on eBay. Some purchasers are afraid of buying anything online. For the most part the fears are not warranted. There are some things you need to be watchful of before you agree to buy an item. You will need to sign up with eBay before you can actually buy anything. It is free to sign up. Just go to eBay.com and pick a user name and password. You can use eBay’s search function without signing up. It operates just like a regular search-engine search, except it searches eBay for the products. How to Buy Online with Credit Cards or Paypal on Ebay or other Online Sellers Texas suing Sony BMG for releasing music CD’s with Spyware
Sony BMG has admitted to releasing a potential dangerous anti-piracy software inside people’s computer through music CD’s. The state of Texas has a new anti-spyware law and is suing Sony BMG for violation. The music CD’s have a program call XCP standing for extended copy protection. During this installation the not so nice spyware called rootkit, which is installed into the core operating system. Another problem program is MediaMax which allows Sony to track the listening habits even if the SunnComm’s liscensing agreement is rejected. Texas suing Sony BMG for releasing music CD’s with Spyware IBM to Acquire Micromuse for $865 million
IBM stated on this Wednesday that they would buy software company Micromuse Inc. for $865 million. This purchase will help fill the needs of the Tivoli software for large computer networks. Micromuse develops software for managing complex communications based networks including telephone calls, internet traffic, and video. Tivoli is a competitor Computer Associates International Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co, and BMC software Inc. IBM to Acquire Micromuse for $865 million Powerful Internet Tool Wiki - What SEOs can learn from it
I’ve been actively researching ways to quickly and effectively build content to websites. And while blogs tend to be near the top of the list, there are other opportunities out there. One such opportunity is a Wiki. And while a Wiki won’t suit all sites, there are those that can use a Wiki effectively. If you think you are one of those sites, take a look at this article. What is a Wiki? Wiki is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit web page content using any Web browser. Wiki supports hyperlinks and has a simple text syntax for creating new pages and links between internal pages on the fly. Powerful Internet Tool Wiki - What SEOs can learn from it Google Beats Out Microsoft for Lucrative AOL Business
AOL will stick with the worlds most popular search engine. MSN had hoped to beat Google to the punch for the lucrative 20 million AOL users. In the end Google will pay $1 billion for a 5% stake in AOL and AOL will continue to use Google’s search. This is important for Google because they are able to keep the AOL audience and the revenue associated with their search advertising. According to the Times Online, AOL is their biggest single source of advertising revenue. In fact, AOL provided 10% of Google’s ad revenue for the first nine months of this year. This equaled about $420 million. Microsoft was hoping to grab the AOL prize, now that it has launched a competing search engine. According to those familiar with the Time Warner Company, the deal with Google was a safer option as compared to dealing with the relatively untested MSN technology. Google Beats Out Microsoft for Lucrative AOL Business Weyerhaeuser Co. announce Closure and Sales of Plants in US and Canada
One of the world’s largest integrated companies of forest products, Weyerhaeuser Co. (WY.N) announced on Friday that it will be closing or selling some of its plants and to expect more changes in the future. The factories that are going to be closed are manufacturing containerboard, packaging and paper bags. This just one of the latest in a sequence of realignments that Weyerhaeuser Co. has planned. The Federal Way headquartered in Washington will close their Plymouth, North Carolina plant permanently and 200 employees will be affected. The factory manufactures 350,000-ton-per-year of containerboard. Weyerhaeuser Co. announce Closure and Sales of Plants in US and Canada The Benefits of Buying a HUD Foreclosure or Repo
For as long as I can remember I have heard of people buying HUD homes and fixing them up and selling them for a profit. We did just that a few years ago and doubled our money in two years. There are risks though. A division of HUD (Housing and Urban Development) oversees the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that insures loans for banks. Sure you have heard about FHA loans before, but FHA does not actually loan the money they only guarantee the loan. This makes it easier for banks to loan to people that would normally not qualify for a loan. HUD is great because the loans are given to risky people. This means they are more likely to default on the loans. This is good for investors because the government is not so hot at getting top dollar for their foreclosures. They hardly ever do anything to the property to make it more appealing. This is a great opportunity if you are looking for a fixer-upper. The Benefits of Buying a HUD Foreclosure or Repo New retirement savings plan - Roth 401(k) coming into effect
The Retirement savings plan, Roth 401(k) introduced by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act, 2001 will come into force from January 2006. Unlike a traditional 401(k) Retirement Plan, a Roth 401k plan applies to all employees but the latter requires the contributions to the plan account with after-tax dollars while a 401k plan allows for contributions with pre-tax dollars. You may not be allowed to contribute to a Roth IRA if your income level is higher but you can certainly qualify for a Roth 401(k) plan, as there are no income specifications here. In addition, you can contribute up to $15,000 for 2006, as in a 401(k) plan and the limit reaches $20,000 for individuals turning 50 years of age or older by the end of the year. New retirement savings plan - Roth 401(k) coming into effect Google Page Rank and SEO - Try ‘Linking’ With Reality
I have been using the services of a wonderful facility, which has taken almost all of the work out of my ‘Linking Program’ (if you have a website that relies on Search Engine traffic, I really do hope you have one!). The facility is named linkmarket.net. Don’t worry, I am not affiliated in any way and I don’t get any type of reward for referrals, but I do refer people because it is really such a wonderful facility and it’s free, unless you choose to ‘upgrade’ to paid membership, which I am seriously considering doing, in light of the behavior I have observed recently. I know there have been a fair number of articles on the Internet and on this particular website regarding ‘linking’, it’s importance, how to do it and what not to do. This article is kind of a plea. I’m pleading with people who don’t realize that linking to every single website that’s willing to link back, can be a DISADVANTAGE rather than do them any good at all. Firstly, the way linkmarket.net works is simple but, as I said, wonderful. You join (free at first, with some minor limitations). You supply your website details, including your category, site name and description and you are listed in their directory. Google Page Rank and SEO - Try ‘Linking’ With Reality Quiznos up for Sale
The fastest-growing sandwich chain, Quiznos, is going to be sold on the auction block, according to The New York Times and Wall Street Journal. The reports had unnamed sources, but said that Quiznos had hired Wall Street investment bank, Goldman Sach Group Inc. to find buyers for the chain. Goldman Sach Group Inc. was said to have already sent out the material to potential buyers. Quiznos could sell for $2 billion and is a family-controlled company and has around 3,600 locations in the United States with 400 more locations internationally. Last year alone the chain opened 800 restaurants. They have agreements for 1,700 more franchisees that have signed agreements. Subway in comparison has 21,000 restaurants. Quiznos up for Sale Are you offering your customers TOO MANY choices?
Are you offering too many choices to your subscribers? How reducing customer choices sells more. It has been taken for granted that more choice is good for customers. But is this true? New research says it's *not* true that more choice equates with more sales. The new research suggests that you are much better off as a marketer if you can identify a customer's needs and circumstances, and then present that customer with a *small number of choices* based upon what you have found out. One reason why a good salesperson can increase sales is that a well-trained and experienced salesperson functions as a very selective filter. Rather than presenting lots of choices to the customer, the good salesperson *focuses in* on that special one or two choices most likely to excite the customer and get him or her to buy. Are you offering your customers TOO MANY choices? How to file a Small Claims Court Case
Have you ever had a minor dispute where you feel you need to be compensated? You might consider small claims court. Disputes are handled quickly and inexpensively. You may not need to hire an attorney either. In fact according to the state of California “a lawyer can't represent you in court.” The courts are all over the country. They handle small dollar amount claims. In California that amount is $5,000 or less. According to the State Website “You can file as many claims as you want for up to $2,500 each. But you can only file 2 claims a year that ask for more than $2,500.” You can only sue a guarantor for up to $4,000 ($2,500 if they don't charge for the guarantee). A "guarantor" is a person who promises to be responsible for what another person owes. How to file a Small Claims Court Case Professionals: how to get more quality clients through the Internet
If you are a dentist, a lawyer, an accountant or a
therapist, you will want to know how you should go about getting
leads on the Internet. For a number of years, I have been
actively involved in helping thousands of professionals get new
clients leads via the Internet, and I have found that those
professionals who are great marketers all tend to do somewhat the
same thing.
From observing these great marketers, I've come up
with some Do's and Don'ts that may help you save money and increase
the number of quality leads you get from the Internet. And
let's first agree that we are all marketing something. We are all in
the business of selling our services. Even though we are
professionals, we still need to get new clients and that means
marketing. If you weren't interested in building up your practice,
you wouldn't have read this far.
Professionals: how to get more quality clients through the Internet
Special Loan Programs and Financing Help for Real Estate Purchases
There are many ways to get help buying a home. There are outright grants and there are loan guarantees. We have sold a condo where the buyer got an outright gift from the city for a down payment. Whether you are buying or selling your home you should be aware of these programs and so should your Real Estate agent. The agent should know what is necessary for writing an FHA backed loan. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides lenders with loan guarantees through FHA. If the buyer defaults the government will step in and pay the lender off. At that time HUD takes back the property for resale. This guarantee makes lenders more likely to loan to home purchasers that they would not normally loan to. Special Loan Programs and Financing Help for Real The Wall Street Journal Interviews Web SuccessTEAM
The Web Success Team has developed Hot LA
Neighborhoods’ website as an out of the box direct response solution
to set Cherryl Weaver and her business apart from the mass of real
estate agents.
Innovative Web Marketing works! The
web is about implementation and experimentation. At the end of the
day, it is also about results. The Web Success Team customer and
successful real estate expert, Cherryl Weaver, was interviewed by
the Wall Street Journal Online for her participation in a new and
innovative form of Web advertising — buying advertising pixels that
link to her website — resulting in driving more traffic and
increasing her web presence.
The Wall Street Journal Interviews Web SuccessTEAM
Online Websites help Home Buyers find a Home
The realtor is a very important part and is a necessary part of the home buying process; however the internet offers listing online to help you find the house that is right for you. We found that in our search for finding a home it was very helpful to search online because the real estate agent does not let you look at all the homes that are in the MLS. It will give you an idea what the market is like and if you are getting a good buy for your money. Online Websites help Home Buyers find a Home No Money Down Lease Option For Buying Real Estate
Qualifying for a loan can be difficult for many people. Some buyers do not make enough money and others may not have the credit rating or may have just gotten a new job. A lease option may be a qualifying alternative and these deals are out there. The lease option involves creating a sales agreement where the buyer gains control of the property but not the ownership. The contract spells out a future date where the property transfers ownership. Not all properties are up to code and able to qualify for a loan without major improvements. The seller may own the home outright without encumbrances but realizes that the property needs an investment of both time and energy before a bank will offer a purchaser a loan. No Money Down Lease Option For Buying Real Estate Timing is Important when Buying and Selling Homes
One of the most stressful times in a person’s life is when he or she buys a home. The decision process is usually long and there is usually second guessing involved after the deal is done. The seller will wonder if he could have gotten more money for his property. They buyer wonders if he could have gotten it for a lower price or maybe should have waited. Both may wonder if they did the deal at the most opportune time. Housing prices tend to rise before and during the summer when most people have more time to move. They may take a dip after the summer when the kids get settled in school and there are fewer buyers in the market. Timing is Important when Buying and Selling Homes Marketing Offline Can Substantially Increase Your Online Business
The Internet can be a scary place for those looking
for a home-based business opportunity. The fear of not connecting
personally with others is one concern and many people have been
“taken” by online scams in their search for a legitimate business
and are fearful to take any more risks. One way to overcome fears
such as these is to market your online business locally. By simply
offering the person a contact that they can speak to and possibly
even meet face to face you will making the statement that your
business is legitimate and trustworthy.
It is effective to market your online business
locally primarily because potential customers and business recruits
prefer to have the option of speaking with the business owner face
to face. By attracting customers locally, you can maximize the
opportunities to meet with them. You will no longer be that “someone
they found online,” but someone that they will be able to relate to
and feel confident doing business with.
Marketing Offline Can Substantially Increase Your Online Business
How to Buy a Home Real Estate or Property from HUD
Like anyone stuck with foreclosed property the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is looking to sell their assets. HUD takes properties back when homebuyers fail to make payments on FHA loans. It is in HUD’s best interest to not lose money on these deals. In an effort to curb losses HUD has assigned various professional brokerage firms around the country to handle their asset sales. For instance in Southern California HUD has assigned Pemco to handle all HUD foreclosure sales. In New York HUD assigned National Home Management Solutions to provide the brokerage services. HUD has a link to the various assigned brokerage firms throughout the country. How to Buy a Home Real Estate or Property from HUD How to Buy Real Estate with No Money Down
Late night TV is full of seminars touting no-money real estate buying systems. Real estate has been booming the past few years and many people have made many millions of dollars investing. So what methods can a person employ to buy property with no money down? A popular method is to “bird-dog” property. Investors are always looking for deals but don’t have the time to search out every opportunity. Some investors are open to deals found by bird dogging. They may pay you a finder’s fee or cut you in on some of the action. How to Buy Real Estate with No Money Down Selling on Ebay: Order Processing and Accounting with Marketworks
Marketworks is an online software solution for the online retailer. The software solutions allows more efficient methods for marketing your products through ebay, yahoo stores and auctions, Froogle, and Overstock auctions. This software will also integrate an online storefront that you can customize as needed. Selling on Ebay: Order Processing and Accounting with Marketworks GM Microsoft Lilly and the Xbox360 Connection
I feel bad about 30,000 GM workers losing their
jobs. Where can they go?What can a modern vibrant American economy
offer them?
New Hope? I recently thought about this problem
while considering a run for the 2006 US Senate seat from Indiana.
As a young Republican Moderate, what could I do to help these
folks? Brainstorm and Broker multiparty deals?
Here is one idea I came up with. Since there are
huge amounts of genetic sequences yet to be classified, Imagine if a
Senator Bud Labitan (R) from Indiana, could broker and encourage a
deal between Lilly, Microsoft, and GM to develop a simple plan to
convert 30,000 “GM line workers” into gene-segment analysts or
"knowledge workers."
GM Microsoft Lilly and
the Xbox360 Connection
Grocery Stores Need to Adapt in Order to Survive
Supermarket grocery stores have been a tradition for nearly a century. Americans have made weekly trips to their local super markets to purchase groceries. Things have been changing. Many shoppers have switched to mega-stores like Wal-Mart Super Centers and specialty grocery stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods. The first self service grocery store to open was the Memphis Tennessee Piggly Wiggly in the early 1900’s. In 1930 Michael McKullen opened the first supermarket in Queens New York. Within a decade the Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company spread the idea across the country. At that time the chain became the fifth largest corporation in America. Grocery Stores Need to Adapt in Order to Survive How to Use Blogs to Market and Promote your Website
Many search engines rank websites according to the quality and quantity of incoming links to it. There are many link sharing programs where you can join and provide links to others and they provide links to your web site. Google and other search engines have learned how to discount these link programs and some have even refused to index a site that uses a sharing. This basically makes these programs counter-productive. Why join a program that will cause your site to never show up on a search engine. How to Use Blogs to Market and Promote your Website Internet Copyright Infringements
I've always been of the opinion that
competition is a good thing. It encourages all of us to be better and
make better products. While it might be true that imitation is the
sincerest form of flattery, copying someone else's work is simply wrong. Where Are Your Potential Customers Searching Online?
Customers search habits are rapidly changing to
the Internet. Now your fingers are using the keyboard not the
Yellow Pages. Businesses must gear up for this NEW REALITY.
Local Search Marketing Is the Next Tsunami. As a
local business, you can no longer ignore these facts. If you
want to compete and survive, you must have a presence where your
customers are searching. Local search marketing is vital to the
future of your business. Here are a few important areas to
consider:
1) The Major Search Engines Search Engine
Optimization for higher rankings and pay-per-click advertising
for more targeted web presence.
Where Are Your Potential Customers Searching Online?
5 Cleaning Tips and a Recommendation for Cleaning Services
No one likes a dirty house. A clean home and an
orderly environment help us to think more clearly and to enjoy our
lives a lot more than we would if we lived in a pig pen (my mother
used to refer to my room with that friendly term). This article
will provide you with 5 helpful cleaning tips as well as a
recommendation for cleaning services. Cleaning services are not
always necessary for your home—although they are wonderful--but if
you have a business, a warehouse or even a condo they are necessary
and should be chosen carefully.
5 Cleaning Tips and a
Recommendation for Cleaning Services
Internet Marketing - When Something is Free
What are consumer expectations when
something is free? Realistically, consumers subconsciously assume free
means free, and while that might be the initial intent rarely is it the
case. How to Decide What to Sell on eBay
There are many important decisions to make before you sell on eBay, and determining the right products to sell on eBay is crucial. Some may think the smallest, most expensive item is the best thing to sell. Maybe, but maybe not. It is been our experience that the small expensive items are the most competitive. Let’s face it, most people don’t want to lift heavy boxes. They typically would prefer a small shelf to pull product from not pallets of large boxes. We sold a small expensive wind meter for a while on eBay. In fact we locked ourselves into a one year contract to purchase a certain quantity at a certain price. How to Decide What to Sell on eBayFree Google Web Analytics Service will Optimize Advertising Budgets
Google announced on Monday that the Google Analytics service will be free of charge. Google Analytics sprung from their purchase of analytics company Urchin back in March. Urchin helped companies develop internet advertising campaigns using analytical techniques by determining what their customers are looking for. By determining what keywords attract the most visitors, a company can tailor-make their email or web based advertising campaigns more effective. Companies have paid money to various companies for this analytical service in the past. Now Google is integrating their Google Analytics with Google AdWords, Google’s advertiser interface. Free Google Web Analytics Service will Optimize Advertising Budgets What is Creative Commons
Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that allows artists, authors, publishers and musicians the option of creating and defining a flexible copyright for their creative works. Creative Commons was officially launched in 2001 by a group of intellectual property experts, lawyers and web publishers. Creative Commons licenses cover art, music, and writing, but is not designed for software. What is Creative Commons Short Term vs Long Term Marketing
In order to create consistent sales
cycles and a positive growth trend businesses usually engage in both
short and long term marketing efforts. Avoid Chargebacks with Paypal by following Rules for Seller’s Protection
Paypal is a quick method to accepting online payments, however there are certain rules that you must follow in order to comply with there seller’s protection rules. You can send money for free, however to receive money but you will get a fee charged a lot like a merchant credit card processing service. If you are a small business that does not have credit card services, or would like to sell online without getting a merchant card service account, this is the easiest method to receiving money on the internet and Paypal is greatly recognized and used by many. Paypal is also owned by Ebay. There are pitfalls with any business, but when you accept credit cards and Paypal you should process the order and ship it within 48 hours from receipt of payment. Avoid Chargebacks with Paypal by following Rules for Seller’s Protection UPS and FedEx Shipping Can Be Dangerous to your eBay Business
It can cost you dearly if your package gets damaged even if you paid for insurance. We have had both UPS and FedEx decline insurance claims because they argue we did not pack the item sufficiently. This usually occurs on the larger – heavier items. It is impossible to ship some items. If the item weighs over 150 pounds neither UPS nor FedEx Ground will ship it. There is also a size limitation. UPS will not ship a package if it is over 108 inches in length. They also have a cubic measurement limit. Measure the length of the package and add the girth of the package. If the sum of these measurements exceeds 165 inches they will not deliver it. They will also charge you an oversize fee. UPS and FedEx Shipping Can Be Dangerous to your eBay Business Future of RSS is Not Blogs but with Corporate Communications
Blogs vaulted RSS into the limelight
but are unlikely to be the force that sustains RSS as a
communication medium. The biggest opportunities for RSS are not in
the blogosphere but as a corporate communication channel. How To Promote and Tell The World about Your Blog
Well, you've joined the others and have
created a blog. It is time to tell the world about your online journal.
Most blog services generate an RSS feed. If your blogging software does
not create an RSS feed, consider using software like FeedForAll to
create an RSS feed. Like blogs, RSS is growing in popularity and is a
great way to spread the word about a new blog. Copyright Issues Concerning RSS Feeds and Web Publishing
RSS is commonly defined as really simple
syndication. So, this means that any material contained in a feed is
available for syndication, right? Well no, not exactly. It means that
the content contained in an RSS feed is in a format that is syndication
friendly, if the copyright holder allows for syndication. Offering a
feed for syndication does not in fact grant any legal rights to anyone
to reuse the feeds content beyond what the Copyright laws grant as Fair
Use. RSS won the Battle over Atom and other Syndication Protocols
RSS appears to have conquered the last
hurtle in becoming the industry syndication standard. Repacking Text Articles Making them Podcasts
We are taught to recycle paper, cans, bottles and
plastic but marketers rarely discuss the value of repackaging and
repurposing content. Publishers and marketers alike have embraced
content syndication and RSS but few have considered the value beyond the
actual syndication. Consider an alternative communication channel that
reaches a new or different audience. Ebay Sellers: How to handle Ebay Customer Service Emails
Selling on Ebay offers a fast pace sales opportunity for anyone that wants to sell online. Turning Ebay selling from a hobby into a full time business is a big task. One aspect of the work that must be completed in an Ebay business is the customer service. Most of the customer service is handled through the email. Ebay Sellers: How to handle Ebay Customer Service Emails
Comparing Email Programs for the Small Business
We have hundreds of emails generated every week with customer pre and post sale questions. In order to manage the volumes of email the right email software for the job will make a big difference on your productivity. We have tried Micorosoft’s Outlook, Poco System’s PocoMail, and Qualcomm’s Eudora email programs. Here is what we liked and didn’t like about each one. Comparing Email Programs for the Small Business 10 Things You Should Know About Shopping Carts
You want to move your business online, and now you are faced with the many available options for shopping carts. Trust me keeping track and deciding which is the best fit for your purpose is no easy job, but these 10 things should help you make an informed decision. One of the first things to consider is the type of product or service and whom you sell to? If these are not clearly defined and you are just trying to get some products online to see how they will sell, then a starter package that is rentable is probably the way to go. You still need to consider the following needs. Most shopping carts are built for physical products that are mailed or shipped to customers. So if you sell a digital product you need to look for a feature set that accommodates ordering and then providing immediate controlled downloading of the product. 10 Things You Should Know About Shopping CartsCompanies Implement Their Own Call Accounting Solutions to Ensure Telecom-Billing Accuracy
According to their annual report available on their website, in the last fiscal year-ending, SBC spent over two-and-a-half billion dollars were spent on advertising. Version's annual report shows just over two billion was spent. Sprint, nearly a billion. AT&T (who had stripped back their advertising budget) spent just under half a billion. Many corporations will never see such income amounts in their entire lifetimes, let alone advertising budgets and this begs the question, if a telecom carrier can spend a fortune on advertising, why can't they invest a fraction of that amount to ensure accurate billing to their customers? Because of billing inaccuracies, customers are forced to implement their own call accounting solutions. Companies Implement Their Own Call Accounting Solutions to Ensure Telecom-Billing Accuracy Really Simple Syndication RSS and Public Relations PR and Online Brand Perception
Branding has been called the most powerful idea in business, yet few companies consciously take control of their brand and create it. Your brand is formed by the visual, emotional, rational, and cultural image associated with your company or product. Now that so many people are reading news and researching products and services online, their first point of contact with your brand is most likely to be online. Brand perception online has been linked to search engine visibility. Studies such as the IAB research shows that searchers regard companies that are placed on page one in the search engines as the major players in the field. Really Simple Syndication RSS and Public Relations PR and Online Brand PerceptionSearch Engine Optimization Internet Marketing Strategies Working for SMB
According to the ISP Interland's Summer 2005 Small and
Medium-sized Business Barometer, SMB's are getting a return from their
Internet marketing strategy - company websites are providing
valuable leads and sales.
How to Find and Generate Sales Leads Using the Internet
Your best leads are on the Internet – and they’re searching for you The latest tool for sales lead generation and search engine marketing is an optimized press release. The Internet is now the number one choice for news as well as for information. Just think about it – where do you go when you want to find something? Search engine marketing is a must for sales lead generation today. 88 percent of economically active Americans are online today and 77 percent of them get their news online. Yahoo! News and Google News combined have the largest audience - even more than CNN or the BBC. How to Find and Generate Sales Leads Using the Internet MBA on a Interactive Video "Game" Disk With Artificial Intelligence
What will education be like in the future? A mix
of gaming and education may be the answer. The basic idea is to
put a full "Core MBA Curriculum" on a High Density Disc and deliver the
core content clips dynamically back in "Madden NFL Football Game Style"
with user-customized interactions and system generated video animations.
I had originally pitched the MMBA concept to Microsoft Research via
email, but no progress was made. EA or others might be interested. President Bush Nominates Dr Ben Bernanke to Post of Federal Reserve Chairman
Alan Greenspan will be retiring in January 2006 and President Bush has nominated a former Federal Reserve Governor Ben Bernanke as his successor. Nominated by Ronald Reagan, Alan Greenspan has been the FED chairman for 18 years. Both Alan Greenspan and Bernanke are considered rich. It is estimated that Alan Greenspan is worth between 4 and 9 million dollars. Bernanke’s wealth is estimated between 1.1 and 5.6 million dollars. According to Henry Blodget writing for Slate.com Bernanke is an academic economist, and most academics believe that the market is so efficient that stock-picking is usually a waste of time. President Bush Nominates Dr Ben Bernanke to Post of Federal Reserve Chairman Microsoft UK Finances Wembley Stadium and is called first Founding Partner
Microsoft UK has become the Wembley Stadium’s first Founding Partner announced this past Thursday. Nick Barley, Business & Marketing Officer of Microsoft UK explained the reason for investing in Wembley Stadium’s. “Microsoft believes in helping people to achieve their potential. Wembley Stadium plays a unique role in British life – it’s a national icon that Microsoft UK Finances Wembley Stadium and is called first Founding Partner The Greatest Storm in American History Approaches, Are You Ready?
As Hurricane Wilma nears as the most
powerful hurricane in our nation's history and Hurricane Katrina and
Hurricane Rita's devastation continues leaving behind catastrophic
damage in several coastal states, we see the importance of planning
ahead for disaster recovery. Families are displaced, homes destroyed and
now comes the task of trying to put the puzzle together and hopefully
reunite families with their loved ones. This task will be enormously
difficult. However, for those that did plan ahead and prepared a
disaster recovery plan, relatives and friends should know exactly where
to locate them. If you haven't prepared one for your family, now is the
time to do so-before the next disaster hits. How to Organizing Your Home Business Office Effectively
It can be a real challenge as a work at
home parent to maintain an organized home office. Many times, the office
or desktop is the last of our worries as we strive to raise our
children, support our spouses and run our home-based business. However,
keeping up with the clutter and chaos of your office may be just what
you need to get you in a working mindset and help you to be more
efficient while working. Essentials for Mastering Your Filing System
As a small or home-based business owner,
you need to be able to operate from your desk quickly and easily. Though
setting up a filing system sounds difficult, it is a relatively easy
task that can be made easier by a few tips and tricks. How to Consolidate your credit card debt and Save Money
With the popularity of plastic money
these days, credit cards are gaining immense importance. With growing
usage of credit card the number of people in debt and the amount of debt
for each of them is also increasing at a fast pace. Almost every
household in the US today is undergoing the threats of debt problems.
People undergoing credit card debts should ideally opt for debt Reverse Engineering Google Business Strategies
What’s in a name? That’s a good question.
Some feel that the name that you are given at birth provides and
accurate description of who you will turn out to be. How to get a Virtual Assistant Business
The revolution of how businesses operate
is an enormous boon to Virtual Assistants. With more businesses moving
into an internet based atmosphere, the opportunity for growth as a
Virtual Assistant (VA) is exceptional. The Good and the Bad of SEO – From Googles Mouth!
I recently had the opportunity to ask
questions of some Google staffers. There were some questions I felt I
needed to get verification on, so when I had the opportunity via a
conference call I took it. Google and Sun - a partnership to kill Microsoft or a deal with the devil?
As you have probably already heard, Google and Sun have partnered up to distribute the Google Toolbar with Sun’s Java. While this may seem like a minor deal in the grand scheme of things, upon further reflection I find this could be the deal which will ultimately break Microsoft. While the implications could be huge and far reaching, only Google knows for sure what it wants. We can speculate however and that’s what this article is all about. Is such a deal good for Sun (and Google) or is it a pact with the devil? At first glance, such a deal doesn’t seem like much. After all java to most people is just a plug in for your Internet browser. What good would such a deal be to Google? Well lets take a look at what Java can do. The following is taken straight from Sun’s website: Google and Sun - a partnership to kill Microsoft or a deal with the devil? How to Ship Packages with FedEx, UPS Ground and the Postal Service
There are some tricks you need to know for selling on eBay, but there are also some practical things you need to know, one of them being how to ship packages. What shipping company should you use? Should you use UPS, FedEx, DHL or the old Postal Service? Typically, if an item weighs less than 2 pounds then it is better to ship it UPSP Priority Mail. The postal service will give you the boxes saving you between 50 cents and a buck on each package. Take advantage of that. Several years ago we shipped everything that weighed under 5 pounds Priority Mail. Then the Postal Service raised their rates. They also created zones for anything over two pounds similar to FedEx and UPS. So if you are in California and want to ship a package to New York it costs more than if you were shipping it to Las Vegas. We calculated that it most cases it was cheaper to ship UPS or FedEx Ground for anything over two pounds. How to Ship Packages with FedEx, UPS Ground and the Postal Service How to Make Money and not Lose Money Selling on Ebay
One important aspect to be considered in any business is the losses. eBay is no different. There could be shipping loses, losses due to fraud and losses due to mistakes. If you do enough business you are bound to make all of these mistakes. In an article I wrote on identity theft I mentioned that the person that took my identity bought $300 of merchandise from Walmart.com. Wal-Mart took the hit for that. If you sell expensive items (over $100) you can become a target for fraud. Few crooks want to waste their time on small-time capers. They also know that if the item is too expensive the purchase will be closely scrutinized. How to Make Money and not Lose Money Selling on Ebay Virtual Assistants are a Solution to Many Business Owners
Business can save time and money by using Virtual Assistants for all secretarial / administrative assistant tasks. Virtual Assistants are highly skilled and trained, Independent Contractors working from their own offices, often partnering with other businesses to help them succeed. VA's have their own office equipment,
necessary software, detailed skills set, and specific training to handle
office management duties and serve as virtual office administrators to
their clients. Virtual Assistant is Becoming a Popular Home Business Opportunity
With gas prices rising, many displaced
from their jobs, and more and more businesses downsizing, comes the need
for finding an alternative way to make a good income. Now more than
ever, families are seeing the need for two incomes. One Industry that is
increasing in popularly today, being rated one of the top 5 home-based
businesses for 2005 by Entrepreneur Magazine last year, is virtual
assisting. Becoming a VA allows you to work from anywhere in the world
and requires little in the way of start-up costs or fees. The main
requirement is the ability to type well and a good understanding of the
Internet. Symantec Report Suggests Change in Internet Crime Tactics - Phishing
Internet criminals have become more focused on monetary gain than malfeasance according to the cyber defense company Symantec. In one of the most comprehensive resources of Internet threat data in the world, the Internet security firm said “Threats <are> increasingly motivated by profit and desire to perpetrate criminal acts.” The Symantec report covered the six-month period from January 1 to June 30, 2005. They identified new methods of using malicious code for financial gain and an increasing frequency to target desktops rather than enterprise perimeters. Symantec Report Suggests Change in Internet Crime Tactics - Phishing How to Sell on Ebay
Ebay has become one of the most popular internet destinations. This could be a testament to America’s love for shopping. Shopping has become one of our favorite pastimes. Vendors have set up their own permanent stores, making eBay much more than a big online swap meet. Companies like Home Depot, Sharper Image and IBM have jumped into the fray. The marketplace has an abundance of unscrupulous sellers, and there are even more unscrupulous buyers. Some sellers require a minimum feedback rating before they will allow a member to buy from them. This helps minimize the risk of fraud. How to Sell on Ebay Employers Hit by Higher Health Care Insurance Premiums for 2005
Health insurance premiums have sky-rocketed over the last five year, according to research done by the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). The only good news is that it has only jumped 9.2 percent this year as compared to 13.9 percent two years ago. The rate of increase is lower this year but it is still outstripping both the cost of living (CPI) and wage increases. Premiums have soared 73 percent since 2000 putting a financial burden on employers and those buying insurance on their own. The average worker is paying $51 per month for single coverage which equates to 16 percent of their premium. The average family benefits cost the employee $266 per month at 26 percent of the premium. This has increased from $27 and $129 respectively since 1999. Employers Hit by Higher Health Care Insurance Premiums for 2005 Best Syndication launches their Forum Discussion Board
Shopping is not the only pastime nowadays. Debate forums have become very popular. There are forums that specialize in current events, health, science, technology, computers and more. Many media companies host forums with a broad subject pallet. We are no different. Our new forum includes the sub-forum topics: Health, entertainment, religion, education, sports, transportation and travel, national and world politics, business, science and computers. Best Syndication launches their Forum Discussion Board New Website attacks Phishers Websites
Houston, TX: How many phishing emails did you receive today? According to Wikipedia (Link: www.wikipedia.com) “Phishing (also known as carding and spoofing) is the act of attempting to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business.” If you receive phishing emails, then you know how annoying they can be. Phishing emails are spam with a nefarious intent, designed to trick the unwary into divulging personal information. New Website attacks Phishers Websites Microsoft Buys Teleo VoIP Technology for IE and Outlook
Last week Google launched its Google Talk, a instant messaging service with voice chat. Even though MSN, AOL and Yahoo all had the technology but because of Google’s strong brand name it received great fan fair. This week Microsoft (MS) has purchased VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) provider Teleo. This could give MS an edge in the communications battle. Teleo offers services that enable the placement of phone calls from PCs to traditional phones. Microsoft Buys Teleo VoIP Technology for IE and Outlook How to Fix your Credit Score and Qualify for a Home Loan
One might be wondering why some lenders turn down a mortgage application while some others might consider it fit for approval. The answer may well lie in the credit report and the credit score to be precise which plays a crucial role in loan sanctioning. Credit history is an important factor affecting loan granting decisions by the lender or mortgagee. As part of the pre-approval process a detailed investigation is carried out into your financial history whereby the lender assesses your finances, your credit history and your investments. Your debt ratios are compared with the lender’s standard while deciding on the loan approval. Your level of debt or credit history is taken as a parameter for judging your ability to make the monthly repayments. How to Fix your Credit Score and Qualify for a Home Loan Pod Books and Self Publishing on the Internet
I saw this statement on a print-on-demand web site recently. Please note that current technology does not allow a POD book to be identical in quality to a normally printed book you would purchase in a bookstore. Most experienced readers can tell a POD book from an offset printed book just by the resolution; for those of us with poorer eyesight, we can tell the difference by looking through a magnifying glass. POD books are still printed with dot technology. Such technology cannot equal offset printing. The quality is getting closer and closer every day, but it is not there yet. Pod Books and Self Publishing on the Internet Successful Search Engine Optimization
A Search Engine Optimization firm can be
an invaluable asset in your Internet marketing campaign. They specialize
in knowing how to highten your search engine positions, monitoring those
positions on the regular basis, and adjusting their strategies to
account for unwanted results in any given month. Since this takes a lot
of effort, time, and specialized knowledge, it can be in your best
interest to go to an outside source rather than try to maintain high
search engine positions on your own. Choosing a Photo Inkjet Printer
Ink Jet printers
have come a long way in the past decade. Not only has the
resolution increased, but so has functionality. Many inkjet
printers can print crystal clear color images on photo quality paper
and even directly to DVD and CD media. Google's New RSS and Atom Services
Google News is now offering a Really Simple Syndication (RSS 2.0) and Atom (ver. .3) News feed service. RSS is a XML-based document format that alerts Internet users to the latest articles. The News Feeds can be integrated into a browser or email program after the user installs the reader. Both Atom and RSS provide a similar syndication format for XML feeds. Google News compiles news stories from various news outlets and using an algorithm classifies and displays synopses on the Google website. The news format is customizable. For instance, if you have an interest in a particular Football team or medical condition, you can have the news sifted for those keywords. Topics are updated every fifteen minutes. Google News RSS Business Logistics Companies Between China and Argentina
Buenos Aires, Argentina – Seabird
Argentina S.A. has started moving inbound containers of chemical
products ex-China to Buenos Aires for one of Latin America’s leading
chemical trading companies, Inmobal Nutrer. Seabird is working with
their Global Expeditors Network partner (GEN), Trek Logistics on this
business. “Because the importer buys from several suppliers in China and
Trek Logistics offers a good network throughout China, Trek Logistics
and their director Stephen Yau have proven to be good partners for us,”
says Christian Wunderlich, of Seabird Argentina. Voice over IP Benefits Business and Consumers
Voice Over IP (VOIP) is a relatively new
technology. Voice Over IP allows people to leave behind the old and very
traditional analogue phone networks and now adapt in favor of the very
new and very progressive Internet-based calling system infrastructure.
Using this technology for your communications actually works out cheaper
for you in the long run as it means you won't need to pay for calls if
the people you are calling and speaking to are also using the same VOIP
system. The Fight against Identity TheftUS Furniture Industry Sees Vietnam as Alternative to China
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – Vietnam has
become a popular destination for US wooden furniture importers as the US
furniture industry continues to modify its import patterns after the
antidumping petition against Chinese wood bedroom furniture
manufacturers. This is due to the fact that the furniture imports
continued rise in the US while at the same time tariffs on the Chinese
furniture also inflated. Identity Theft
The Federal Trade commission reports that identity theft has been the number one consumer fraud complaint for five years running, affecting 10 million people each year. Some states require companies to notify consumers if they lose track of their personal information. Recently I was notified by one of my credit card companies that my address was being changed on my Credit Card. This was a surprise to me. The new address was located across the country. The thieves had my social security number and date of birth. Along with my name, they effectively had my identity. Identity Theft Article Identity Theft - What you can do US Government Officials attempt to stop Unocal - CNOOC mergerVideo Game PiracyRegulations making Credit Card Payments to Double
Credit card minimum payment amounts are going to double. Federal regulators are forcing the credit card companies to pay off more than just interest payments. The banks are going to increase the minimum monthly payment from 2 percent to 4 percent. MBNA, Citibank, and Bank of America have already announced that they are increasing the minimum monthly payments more will be following suit to comply with the regulations. The national average credit card debt per household is approximately $10,000. There are about 40 percent of American households that have a balance from month to month on their credit cards. If a persons minimum payment was $200 per month it would be $400 per month with the new regulation. Complete Story Unocal may be split up by takeover deal
The relationship between Beijing and Washington has become more complex in recent weeks with the attempted takeover of Unocal by one of China's three largest energy firms, CNOOC Ltd. Chinese officials claim this transaction to be nothing more than a business matter. The House of Representatives has seen it differently and passed a resolution urging President Bush to block the proposed takeover. In a written statement, the Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded the US Congress to correct it’s mistake. "We demand that the U.S. Congress correct its mistaken ways of politicizing economic and trade issues and stop interfering in the normal commercial exchanges between enterprises of the two countries … CNOOC's bid to take over the U.S. Unocal company is a normal commercial activity between enterprises and should not fall victim to political interference. The development of economic and trade cooperation between China and the United States conforms to the interests of both sides." Complete Story
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